Cigarette-former.



1. C. FOX.

CIGARETTE FORMER.

APPLICATION FILED IAN.2o, I9I5.

Patented Jun 6, 1916. l

.L ,//NUIIIIII MHV/HMH IMHIIIIIIIIIFIIIIIIIIIEIINIIIUIJ. I.I..f I) A ,if vI...

105m C. FOX, 0I' SEATTLE, WASHINGTN.

CIGARETTE- FORMER To all 'whom it may concern.' l

Be it known that I, JOSEPH C. Fox, a citizen of the United States of America, and a vals resident of the city of Seattle, in the county of King and State of Washington, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Cigarette-Formers, of which 1 the following is a specification.

My invention has for its primary aim to provide a device of the above character with which a symmetrical and compact cigarette may be easily and quickly formed. A Further objects reside in the former tub or charging barrel construction combined with the means for compressing a charge in the barrel and subsequently discharging the same therefrom; and a novel funnelV to facilitate the charging of the'barrel.

These and other objects I attain by the construction described in detail in the following speciiication and clearly illustrated by the accompanying drawings, while those features on which protection is desired will be succinctly defined in the appended claims.

Figure 1 of the drawings illustrates my improved cigarette former in the initial step of fabricating a cigarette, viz., rolling a wrapper about the former tube. Fig. 2 is a vertical section of the former showing the funnel in its operative position and the tube filled with tobacco. Fig. 3 is a similar `view in which the tobacco has been subjected to pressure, the compressor being shown in elevation. Fig. 4 shows my device ready for discharging the tobacco into the wrapper. Figs. 5 and 6 are cross sections taken on lines 5 5 and 6 6, respectively, of Fig. 3, and Fig. 7 illustrates the former in elevation with portions broken away to .show the iual step in the forming process.

Referring by'like characters of reference to corresponding parts throughout, 1 designates the barrel or former tube, and 2 a collapsible fimnel secured on one end portion of the barrel, said funnel being desirably of rubber or other exible'material which is preferably also resilient to thereby be self-unfoldin mounting thereo on the barrel.

When not in use, the funnel is housed by a casing or housing 3 slidably mounted on the former tube or barrel and preferably provided with a spiral slot 4 in which operates a pin 5, on the barrel, to impart rotary movement during its sliding on the Specication of Letters Patent.

and also facilitate the Patented une 6, 1916.

applicati@ mea January 2o, 1915. serial No. 3,391.

barrel. This rotary movement, while not strictly essential, aids in folding or collapsing the funnel, as is believed to be obvious. Beads 6 and 7, formed on'y the barrel,`pro

`vide limits for the sliding of the funnelhousing 3, said bead 7 also constituting a gage or guide' to facllitate theposit'ionmg of the paper or wrapper 8 the proper distance along the barrel to leave a portion 9 i projecting therefrom.l

In practice, the paper 8 isrolled about the `barrel and sealed, as by moistening the longitudinal edge thereof, and the project- `ing end portion 9 folded inwardly, a linger being retained over' the lower end of the barrel and wrapper throughout the charging process. The filler of tobacco isvthen poured into the funnel until the barrel is practically filled with the loose tobacco, after which the complressor or plunger 10 is used to tamp the ler to a compact mass before discharging it from the former tube. Upon further pressing the plunger in'- wardly and releasing slightly upon the wrapper, the filler, being forced into the wrapper, gradually slides the latter oi' the end of the barrel.

The plunger comprises a head 11 on the lower end of a rod' 12, the upper end being capped by a handle 13. A gage 14, threaded on the portion 15 of the rod for adjustment, provides a means for determining the length of filler, and, therefore, varying lengths may be expeditiously formed.

My invention is especially adapted for forming cigarettes although I am aware of the fact that 'it can or may be used in a like capacity for other articles.

Should the funnel become worn or accidentally injured, it may be removed and replaced by a new one. It is preferably made, either entirely of an elastic material, as rubber, or with the small or neck end of rubber, so that it is held in place upon the former tube by its resilient grip thereon.

Having thus described my invention, Y

what I desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States of America is 1. In a device of the character described, a rigid former tube, a collapsible funnel fixed to one end of the former tube and funnel inclosing means carried by the former tube.

2. In a device of the character described, av former tube and av funnel of iexible material removably seouredj thereto, and a funnel housing movably mounted on one end of the former tube.

3. In a device of the character described, a former tube having a wrapper receiving section and a funnelhousing-receiving section, a flexible funnel uponthe end having the housing and a tubular housing slidable upon the former tube to cover and uncover thefiexible funnel.

4. In a device of the character described, a former tube having a Wrapper-receiving section and an endwise extension, a collapsible funnel secured to the outer end of this extension, and a funnel housing slidable lengthwise on this extension, the former tube and funnel housing having engaging step members limiting the extent of the reciprocations.

5. In a device of the character described, a rigid former tube, a collapsible funnel thereon, and a housing fer the funnel movably carried `upon the former tube.

6. In a device of the character described, a former tube, a collapsible funnel thereon, and a funnebhousing movable on the barrel.

7 In a device ofthe character described,-

E.- ARLITA ADAMS, R. D. SMALLEY. 

